Chemo pushed a week

Hard12Find
Hard12Find Member Posts: 218 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Saw my oncologist today, and was supposed to start chemo after the appt. I had formulated a few questions, updated her on the staph infection around the g tube, and IV port.
She told me that I should wait and do both chemo and radiation on the first of October, and let the staph infection heal. I was psyched up for chemo, so it was a letdown to have to wait another week. On the bright side I rethought my choice of cisplatin and decided to go with erbittex.....hopefully get this fight on the road to recovery soon. Hope everyone is doing good.
Jim

Comments

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #2
    have a good week
    Hi Jim,

    Thanks for asking how I am doing, I am doing fine.

    So you were all jazzed up and ready but a little staph infection squelched that? That is probably smart we want you healthy and ready for treatments to begin. Before you know it the treatments will become routine and then they are over. Try to stay relaxed and take the challenges as they come. Have all your meds at the ready even if you don’t need them, there is nothing like being prepared. If you can handle the mask more power to you if not (like me) get a prescription of Lorazapam (Matt’s little helper) for anxiety.

    I belong to the Erbitux camp and after the loading dose had rash (just like pimples) all over my torso. Today, at 6 months post, I have a slight freckling where the pimples were, but it is virtually all gone.

    Please, one request of you, go out and have some really good meals over the next month, because after week three of rads you may not want to.

    Best,

    Matt

    Just ask when questions come up, somebody will have an answer.
  • Hard12Find
    Hard12Find Member Posts: 218 Member
    #3
    CivilMatt said:

    have a good week
    Hi Jim,

    Thanks for asking how I am doing, I am doing fine.

    So you were all jazzed up and ready but a little staph infection squelched that? That is probably smart we want you healthy and ready for treatments to begin. Before you know it the treatments will become routine and then they are over. Try to stay relaxed and take the challenges as they come. Have all your meds at the ready even if you don’t need them, there is nothing like being prepared. If you can handle the mask more power to you if not (like me) get a prescription of Lorazapam (Matt’s little helper) for anxiety.

    I belong to the Erbitux camp and after the loading dose had rash (just like pimples) all over my torso. Today, at 6 months post, I have a slight freckling where the pimples were, but it is virtually all gone.

    Please, one request of you, go out and have some really good meals over the next month, because after week three of rads you may not want to.

    Best,

    Matt

    Just ask when questions come up, somebody will have an answer.

    Matt,
    On one of your other posts you mentioned you were from Oregon . May I ask which town or city? I am in Yelm Washington, which is near Olympia, and Tacoma . I have lived in eastern Oregon and visited the I-5 corridor a lot. Love Portland........
    Jim
  • Hard12Find
    Hard12Find Member Posts: 218 Member
    #4
    CivilMatt said:

    have a good week
    Hi Jim,

    Thanks for asking how I am doing, I am doing fine.

    So you were all jazzed up and ready but a little staph infection squelched that? That is probably smart we want you healthy and ready for treatments to begin. Before you know it the treatments will become routine and then they are over. Try to stay relaxed and take the challenges as they come. Have all your meds at the ready even if you don’t need them, there is nothing like being prepared. If you can handle the mask more power to you if not (like me) get a prescription of Lorazapam (Matt’s little helper) for anxiety.

    I belong to the Erbitux camp and after the loading dose had rash (just like pimples) all over my torso. Today, at 6 months post, I have a slight freckling where the pimples were, but it is virtually all gone.

    Please, one request of you, go out and have some really good meals over the next month, because after week three of rads you may not want to.

    Best,

    Matt

    Just ask when questions come up, somebody will have an answer.

    Matt,
    On one of your other posts you mentioned you were from Oregon . May I ask which town or city? I am in Yelm Washington, which is near Olympia, and Tacoma . I have lived in eastern Oregon and visited the I-5 corridor a lot. Love Portland........
    Jim
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #5
    In Holding Pattern ~ Circling Chemo Chair
    Actually, though you are in a holding pattern, I'm sure it's a good thing to heal up first.

    Once you start the chemo and your blood counts start dropping, infection is a point of concern.

    Your normal ability to fight off infection and heal will be compromised. So that little infection now, could cause you some very big problems.

    One thing that we don't talk about much here. But infections, cuts, all of that are compromised in healing once you have very low blood counts.

    Lemonade....

    That gives you an extra week or so to eat anything you want before your taste goes south.

    Best,
    John
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #6
    I know it's hard when you're all ready and
    mentally prepared to start treatment and the rug gets pulled. (They punctured my lung when they put in my port...I had to skip treatment till that healed...about 10 days)...However, as John said...you don't want any type of infection when your blood is compromised. Let me tell you, when your blood counts are low, you feel like schmidt as it is without having an extra infection to fight.

    I'm all for the eat till you think you'll die till you can't do it anymore....think of this week as an extra time for steak, enchiladas, great big juicey burgers with everything on them....YUM! It won't be long before you're on this side of the eating quotient, and only dreaming of all that food you should be having...LOL....

    p
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #7
    3rd house on the right
    Jim,

    Yes you may ask which city, I reside in Albany (75 miles south of Portland). I would like to go to Portland to eat something (since it has become such a “foodie town”), but that will have to wait since I don’t have the time, patience or convincing vocabulary skills to explain to others why I just spit out my food on the ground or floor (humor here). Once my taste buds are back and ready to rumble, I will drive the 75 miles to food nirvana.

    If you want to stop by in the morning I will make a double batch of smoothie, but don’t expect my wife to partake she eats “normal people” food. The rest of the day I nap, so that’s that.

    Matt

    P51,
    Every time I hear the punctured lung story I feel my emotions well up inside of me. I am sure sorry that happened.
    Matt
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #8
    CivilMatt said:

    3rd house on the right
    Jim,

    Yes you may ask which city, I reside in Albany (75 miles south of Portland). I would like to go to Portland to eat something (since it has become such a “foodie town”), but that will have to wait since I don’t have the time, patience or convincing vocabulary skills to explain to others why I just spit out my food on the ground or floor (humor here). Once my taste buds are back and ready to rumble, I will drive the 75 miles to food nirvana.

    If you want to stop by in the morning I will make a double batch of smoothie, but don’t expect my wife to partake she eats “normal people” food. The rest of the day I nap, so that’s that.

    Matt

    P51,
    Every time I hear the punctured lung story I feel my emotions well up inside of me. I am sure sorry that happened.
    Matt

    Matt...
    You live that close!! I did not realize that! Well now I gotta come your way (I know what your thinking, "no way Tim, all my kids are gone and I don't need a village to visit me anytime soon") ... :)

    Let's see, I think I am just 8 hours from Portland ...so that would put me 7 ish hours from you ...and since I can't go see John (skiffin) as easy for some of his fish ......

    ..hhmmmmmm :)

    Tim
    McCall, Idaho
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #9
    Tim6003 said:

    Matt...
    You live that close!! I did not realize that! Well now I gotta come your way (I know what your thinking, "no way Tim, all my kids are gone and I don't need a village to visit me anytime soon") ... :)

    Let's see, I think I am just 8 hours from Portland ...so that would put me 7 ish hours from you ...and since I can't go see John (skiffin) as easy for some of his fish ......

    ..hhmmmmmm :)

    Tim
    McCall, Idaho

    I knew where you lived
    Tim,

    I’ve already planned a trip to see you, but you were out cutting wood.

    Matt
  • nick770
    nick770 Member Posts: 195
    #10
    Bummer to hear Jim, but as
    Bummer to hear Jim, but as others have said eat! True to form food won't be the same for a while after treatments start.best if everything for your treatment.
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #11
    CivilMatt said:

    3rd house on the right
    Jim,

    Yes you may ask which city, I reside in Albany (75 miles south of Portland). I would like to go to Portland to eat something (since it has become such a “foodie town”), but that will have to wait since I don’t have the time, patience or convincing vocabulary skills to explain to others why I just spit out my food on the ground or floor (humor here). Once my taste buds are back and ready to rumble, I will drive the 75 miles to food nirvana.

    If you want to stop by in the morning I will make a double batch of smoothie, but don’t expect my wife to partake she eats “normal people” food. The rest of the day I nap, so that’s that.

    Matt

    P51,
    Every time I hear the punctured lung story I feel my emotions well up inside of me. I am sure sorry that happened.
    Matt

    Matt when I was young
    I spent quite a bit of time in the Albany/Corvallis area....young like when I was married to my 1st husband in my 20's. My in-laws lived there...well, my ex father-in-law still lives in Albany, and all my ex-sister's and ex-brother's in law still live in the area...

    Tim...these same in-laws also lived in Meridian, Id. for a time. My father-in-law was a Federal Veternarian and inspected packing plants...they lived in Albany, then transfered to Meridian...when he retired they moved back to Albany.

    p

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